The Buccaneers are going all-in on their current iteration of fantasy football-relevant options, except planning for the future with Emeka Egbuka. They only took two players at fantasy football-eligible positions, instead deciding to shore up cornerback and edge rusher. Let’s dive into Emeka Egbuka and Tez Johnson!
| Rd | Pick | Player | Pos | College |
| 1 | 19 | Emeka Egbuka | WR | Ohio State |
| 2 | 53 | Benjamin Morrison | CB | Notre Dame |
| 3 | 84 | Jacob Parrish | CB | Kansas State |
| 4 | 121 | David Walker | EDGE | Central Arkansas |
| 5 | 157 | Elijah Roberts | EDGE | SMU |
| 7 | 235 | Tez Johnson | WR | Oregon |
Round 1, Pick 19: Emeka Egbuka, Wide Receiver, Ohio State (6’1”, 202 lbs)
The following is an excerpt from the Round One Fantasy Football Rookie Round Up
TALENT
Egbuka is a #slotgawd who dominated at Ohio State, and he’s fallen out of favor with many folks thanks to a bit of prospect fatigue. However, he is primed to hit the ground running in fantasy football leagues. He is a force underneath and behind the line of scrimmage, taking shorter passes such as screens or slants for long gains. Ohio State gave him a lot of manufactured touches to get the ball in his hands, likely because he does not dominate as a downfield receiver. He struggles to catch balls away from his body downfield, though he is exceptionally adept at hauling in in-frame passes for receptions. He’s a vacuum sometimes, but tends to lose focus, causing drops.
There are still some things to tighten up in Egbuka’s game. He can get knocked off his spot by press coverage, and he is inconsistent and borderline lackadaisical in his route running. He can rip off some crisp routes, and other times, he seems like he’s almost floating around out there. All in all, he’s a great prospect, and I am excited for him to go to a spot where he can get a lot of targets out of the slot.
NFL Comparison: Chris Godwin
Predraft Grade: Late 1st Round/Early 2nd Round
2025 OPPORTUNITY
Depth Chart:
WR1 Mike Evans
WR2 Chris Godwin (injured)
WR3 Emeka Egbuka
WR4 Jalen McMillan
WR5 Sterling Shepard
WR6 Tez Johnson
Now, this is intriguing. Chris Godwin likely misses the first half of the season thanks to his foot going the wrong direction at the back end of a blowout in 2024. So, that gives Egbuka a chance to contribute to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster immediately. The Bucs threw the ball a ton last year, with Baker notching the fifth-most pass attempts. Egbuka has a chance to immediately start to produce, as the Buccaneers not only pass a ton, but they pass to the slot a ton. They ranked eleventh in slot targets last season, with 183 (for 134 receptions, and 1,583 yards), and that’s where Egbuka will start his career.
Luckily for Egbuka, when Godwin returns… Godwin will play outside, leaving Egbuka to dominate the slot. I love his opportunity to produce this year, and I feel he has a chance to be the rookie WR1 for 2025 when all is said and done.
2025 FANTASY FOOTBALL OUTLOOK
Whoops, I got ahead of myself: draft Emeka Egbuka. He’s going to a team in the middle of a playoff window with a pass-happy offense that is down a premier weapon. He is going to dominate opposing offenses out of the slot, and he is going to have a ton of value in PPR leagues. I have zero qualms taking him as a flex wide receiver, with a chance for more, in any twelve-team league. He is must draft in my eyes.
Round 7, Pick 235: Tez Johnson, Wide Receiver, Oregon (5’10”, 165 lbs)
TALENT
Johnson is a nice little slot receiver that Oregon used in various manufactured touches to get him the ball. His tape is littered with sweeps, screens, and pop passes. In addition to getting him these touches, they let him work as a punt returner in the special teams game. While Johnson has some traits that I like (nice short area release and an ability to decimate zone defenses), his return man skills will get him on the field. Unfortunately, Johnson doesn’t have the requisite speed to go with his size (4.51s 40-yard dash)
On offense, I have some concerns with Johnson’s game. While he is great against zone, he did not fare well against man coverage, especially press man. His small frame and lack of moves to get released at the line of scrimmage made it way too easy for defenders to neutralize Tez outside of manufactured touches.
And ultimately, Johnson was good (not great) with the ball in his hands. He lacks the suddenness necessary for a player like him, and ultimately, he will profile better as a good role player for a team than someone who will demand touches.
NFL Comparison: Rondale Moore
Predraft Grade: 4th Round
2025 OPPORTUNITY
Depth Chart:
WR1 Mike Evans
WR2 Chris Godwin (injured)
WR3 Emeka Egbuka
WR4 Jalen McMillan
WR5 Sterling Shepard
WR6 Tez Johnson
Johnson is last on a depth chart that boasts five legit NFL starters. He will have no opportunities in 2025, especially since Godwin and Egbuka will work ahead of him in the slot.
2025 FANTASY FOOTBALL OUTLOOK
Oh. No, thank you.
